Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest aide Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the National Security Council, said the country is ramping up production of next-generation weapons.
According to AFP, Vice Chairman Medvedev, who served as Russian president from 2018 to 2012, claimed through his telegram on the 11th local time that "we are increasing the most powerful means of destruction."
"These next-generation weapons are meant to protect us from our adversaries in Europe and America, Japan and Australia," he said.
Deputy Chairman Medvedev mentioned "Malorosiya (Little Russia)," a term used to refer to the Ukrainian region during the Russian Empire, and said, "Enemy countries have penetrated not only Kiev (Kiu), the capital of Malorossiya, but also all over the province."
Medvedev did not specify what the new weapon refers to.
His remarks appear to be in line with President Putin's recent threatening remarks against Western countries, hinting at the possibility of using nuclear weapons.
"Any country that attacks Russia with nuclear weapons will disappear without a trace," Putin said at a press conference at the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, on the 9th.
"We are also considering adopting the US preemptive strike concept," he said. "Russian cruise missiles and hypersonic systems are more modern and efficient than the US."
The Russian Ministry of Defense released a video of the launch of the hypersonic missile 'Cirkon' in October.
For this reason, some observers say that the next-generation weapon that Medvedev said is referring to the Chirkon missile.